Recess: Bring it Home
Too often we hear from schools that recess is the most challenging part of the day. It doesn’t have to be. With just a few tweaks and some enthusiasm, recess can become a positive part of the school day, allowing kids the opportunity to run around, gain confidence, learn teamwork and create bonds that last beyond the classroom.
Parents inherently understand that this, and often ask us how they can help. Here are three things you can do to encourage your child and others to be physically active and to bring helpful tools to their recess yard and their own back yard.
First teach your children Rock Paper Scissors. The rules are simple. Rock smashes scissors; scissors cut paper; paper covers rock. This simple game can be used to resolve most minor conflicts on the playground. It’s also a good way to decide who has to walk the dog, unload the dishwasher, set the table and so on when the kids are arguing whose turn it is and you have no idea yourself.
Second, learn rules to some basic playground games. Tag is an oft-maligned playground game, but it needn’t be and we’re big on it. When played safely it’s a great way to get kids moving. Rather than having them tag traditionally, start by teach them butterfly touches, where they gently tag on shoulder with their wiggling fingertips, much as a butterfly would light on a flower. Right there, you eliminate the pushing and shoving that can end up with conflict or playground casualty. There are dozens of tag games in our free online playbook, and we encourage parents to check them out.
Third, get out and play with your kids. Go ahead and be the goofy grown-up, while the kids are in charge of the game. There is no better way to encourage kids to play than to set an example yourself. Play by their rules and enjoy the new insights you get from looking at play through their eyes. Even playing with your kids for a few minutes is enough to get the game going, and once the game is going, you’ll be amazed by how long they can keep it going with rock-paper-scissors and a solid understanding of the rules.
President and Founder Jill Vialet has worked for more than 20 years in the non-profit sector, during which she focused her entrepreneurial skills on conceiving of and growing two successful non-profit organizations, Playworks and MOCHA (Museum of Children’s Art in Oakland). Jill is a Mom and she graduated from a public high school in Chevy Chase, Maryland. See Jill’s enlightening TEDxSF presentation.
Join Beth and Cindy from Playworks today at 10AM (Pacific time) on Facebook to discuss the importance of play, games and more! You can leave your questions on our wall too.
Editor’s Note: This post is part of our Spotlight on Education.
